lay. To subjects of this kind I strove as much I could to limit his attention; for, although he more than once expressed a wish to have what are in the narrower seuse called theological subjects assigned to him, it seemed to me much better that he should deal with matters which very few were so well qualified as himself to undertake, than with those which are more generally cultivated by clergymen, and competent writers on which are therefore more easily found.

• It will not be supposed from this, that I in any way underrated his theological attainments: far from in I very fully concur in what I believe to be the general opinion, that his work on Biblical Theology is among the very best we have; but I apprehended that his distinction was less here-where, however high his place, he was but one among many-than in those special and high-important departments of sacred dressure which few had so succcessfully SYNE

"I have thought much of him lately; for my new undering a study resting themes which I now that he would have been deed to undertake, and whot ingte have been enriched by the wealth of ha ko ani td by his critical discrimian glas verenty reminded of the loss who won me le sustained by his deparsue, and my drist schssion to the Divine will, water has the Lord has chosen well for bom, cannot always extinguish my regret at the absence of that efficient help in the tasks which have devoted upon me, which he was so well able to afford, wwd which I should have had some right to expect

SERMONS.

SERMON I.

"So he drove out the man, and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."-GENESIS, iii. 24.

THERE is nothing, brethren, which it more nearly concerns us to understand, to consider, and to improve, than the scriptural statement of our nature's apostacy from God. Upon this single fact, "that we are fallen creatures," is founded the whole volume of revealed truth; and if this single fact you can successfully controvert so as to exclude it from your creed, then you render nugatory and superfluous the holy volume which lies before me. For, if man be not fallen, I ask you, whence and why are the proclamations of mercy-the plans of grace-the means of restoration? If man be not fallen, where find you the key to the otherwise unfathomable mystery that hangs over our moral constitution and our physical condition, in this present world?

If man be not fallen, account to us, if you can, for the sicknesses and the sorrows, the heart-rending

A

griefs, and the strokes of sudden calamity, that have converted this place of our temporary sojourn into a vale of tears. If man be not fallen, why is he mortal? Yes: my fellow-sinners and fellow-mortals, God made man upright, but he has fallen by his iniquity. When he came forth from the hand of his Creator, he was pronounced by infinite wisdom and parity to be very good.”—to be perfect, not only as to his corporeal structure and outward estate, but in the frame and temper of his mind. There was no darkness in his understanding-no stubbornness in his will-no pollution in his affections-no spot nor blemish in his whole character- no interruption to his peace- no abatement to his ever growing happiness.

But, alas! how is the gold become dim, and the most fine gold changed. The crown of righteousness and life—the crown of dignity and dominion-the crown of glory and joy, is fallen from our head; woe unto us for we have sinned. The earthly Eden is no more. And the experience of every child of Adam tells him that he is fixed down here in a wilderness, and must struggle as he best may with its privations and vicissitudes; that he inhabits a blighted barren land,— a land of pitfalls and graves—a land of drought and deathshade-a land of dangers and of deaths.

And is our exclusion from Paradise to be perpetual? is the exile to be eternal? Are we driven out and banished without hope of return? Justly, justly might the record which is before us have terminated with the sad note in our text. So he drove out the man." For, if the Creator had so determined it, we might (without the slightest impeachment of his honour, or the least infringement of his justice,) have remained

where we are and as we are, until received to fiercer wrath below. And had we known nothing more than this, that man was created innocent and happy, and so continued till he rebelled and fell, when he was expelled from Eden in wretchedness and ruin, we should have known enough to have for ever vindicated the Divine procedure, in all that man endures in time, and in all that he might have endured through eternity. But, blessed be the God of the Bible, it ends not with the text-it closes not with this brief but terrible announcement, "he drove out the man. If there was a pause, it was a pause of hope, of mercy; if a ray shot athwart the deepening gloom, it was light from heaven; if a sound came to break the dread silence, it was a sound of peace. Come then, brethren, and meditate on this short but comprehensive passage of Holy Writ, a passage full of matter and meaning-meaning that we ought to endeavour to discover-matter which it is our obvious interest to understand.

May the Spirit of truth and love enlighten our minds and touch our hearts, while we consider in succession man's expulsion from Eden, and God's dispensation thereupon consequent.

I. Let us attend to man's expulsion from Eden, "So he drove out the man;" a statement which suggests three questions, viz., the whence the wherefore -and the whither did he drive him?

1. Whence drove he out the man? It was from Eden, which means pleasure, denoting that region of delightful enjoyment which the beneficent Creator had prepared for his guiltless and happy creature before

now is the time for a Saviour!" and when the hope was expressed that he felt that Saviour near, "Yes," he replied, " and precious;" adding, "yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and staff do comfort me." When scarcely able any longer to articulate, he frequently lifted his eyes upwards and pointed with his finger to heaven, as if to indicate that thither he was going, and to encourage his mourning relatives to prepare to meet him there. He retained his consciousness almost till the end, and about the hour of seven, on the morning of Sabbath the 28th of March, he calmly fell asleep in Jesus. "Mark the perfect man and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace.' "LET ME DIE THE

DEATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS, AND LET MY LAST END BE LIKE HIS!"

Thus died this accomplished man, "cut off in the midst of his usefulness," at the premature age of fortynine. We are ready to wonder when such a one is suddenly removed in the strength of manhood, like a tree uprooted by the hand that planted it, just when its rich blossoms were giving promise of more abundant fruit. Jehovah would thus remind his people that he is sovereign in all his dispensations, and that, for the accomplishment of his hidden purposes, he is independent of any instrumentality. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." Nor need we be dismayed, as if these powers and high accomplishments had perished. Rather may we hope, that when one is summoned hence, whom God has thoroughly furnished and sanctified by his grace, he is not removed from a state of usefulness to one of inac